centurions.org.au

You Walked Before You Ran

1971 - Jim Gleeson's Centurion Badge

The 1971 Australian Centurions qualifying event at the Edwards Lake Athletics Track in Reservoir proved a memorable one with centurion performances by Jim Gleeson, Clarrie Jack and Stuart Cooper. But it was Jim's performance which set the standards which have withstood the test of time. In atrocious conditions, he powered through without stopping to reach the 100 miles mark in 18:33:58 (a record that would stand until 1979), before continuing on for the full24 hours to set our current Australian 24 Hours Walk record of 122 miles 215 yards (196.490km).

His widow Gladys has generously donated his centurion badge back to the club and it is mounted here as a lasting memorial to Jim's performances on the track.